“Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God. He made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation” (Psalm 100:1-5).
If you are a Christian, you probably know that thanking the Lord, having a heart full of gratitude, is an important aspect in your relationship with Him. But have you ever considered the different ways this can be done? You see, gratitude, a thankful heart, is not limited to just verbal expressions, or in our prayers, but can be demonstrated in a variety of ways.
For example, according to this Psalm, one of the methods is by singing. This is precisely why I love music during our weekend gatherings. Songs can often say what our heart feels, but has trouble articulating. As the words of my favorite hymns, or praise songs, flow from my lips, I am reminded of who God is, the magnitude of His salvation, and His love for me. And here is the great part, we do not have to wait for church for that to happen. Thus, when you are filled with gratitude, let it come to your lips, wherever you are – hum, sing out, tap your foot.
Another way to express our gratefulness is by serving God – whether it be through acts of kindness, teaching a Bible class, leading a LIFE Group, organizing a ministry, reaching out to the marginalized, sharing the gospel with the lost, helping someone in need, or giving financially to the vision and mission of the church. Every one of these can be offered to God with an attitude of thanksgiving for all He has done for us, to us, and through us.
But ultimately, we show God our gratitude, through being obedient – trusting and living by His Word. A holy life flows from a heart filled with thankfulness for God’s grace, mercy, love, and salvation.
You see, instead of living for ourselves, and for our own pleasures and pursuits, we should want to exalt Him in all that we do, say, and think. And as we allow God’s Spirit to control us, He will faithfully enable us to live in a manner that is pleasing and honoring to Him.
